Ankle support and protector.



Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

WITNESSES:

A TTORIIEY QM @ZM @1244:

UNrrEn STATES Parana? car ies.

HENRY JAMES COLLIS, or- TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANKLE SUPPORT AND PROTECTOR.

Application filedOctober 26, 1908. Serial No. 459,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY JAMES Comm, a citizen of the United States, and resident of 'launton, in the county of Bristol and State of ivlassachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Ankle Supports and Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for sup porting and protecting ankles, and it has special relation to devices of this class which are desi ned for use in athletic sports.

The oliject of my invention is to provide a simple and improved ankle support and rotector in which variable use of the stiffening media, to adapt the device to the ankle conditions and desires of the individual user,

-is conveniently enabled without disturbing the stitching and such insertible and detachable stiffening media is more conveniently secured and retained in active position, and which will furthermore possess advantages in point of ease and comfort, convenience, simplicity, adaptability, effectiveness and general efliciency.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the device when in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the inside features of the device. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken on the linear--12, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken on the line 'y y,

Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view,

taken on the line ez, Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters. Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bodyortion, which is constructed of soft liab 0 material, such as leather or a suitaiile fabric. The body-portion comprises two half portions forming sides, 22; arranged to sdrround the ankle of the wearer and a bottom portion, 3', extending around the heel and beneath the instep of the foot. The half portions of the body 1 maybe con nected by a seam, l, at the back and beneath the, bottom, when the body-portion is constructed in two ieces as herein shown, but it is obvious that t e body-portion may be con structed in a sin le piece, in which case the seam 4 would on ly'extend at the back, and

under some circumstances of use, especially when a high shoe is worn over the device, the heel part of the bottom portion 3 maybe cut away, but this heel part is "especially desirable whenan Oxford or low shoe is to be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

sure of the top edge of the counter against the heel of the wearer and wear of the stocking at that point. It will be understood that supporting and protecting devices of this character are, in their usual employment in athletic sports, worn inside the shoe and over the stocking, but under some circumstances of use the device may be worn beneath the stocking or otherwise employed may be preferred by the user.

Fastening means are provided at the front edges of the sides 2, wluch means preferably consist of a lacing, as at 5, passing through eyelets, U, in said side portions. The inner faces of the side portions 2 are reinforced by pieces or stri s, 77, likewise of pliable or soft material: such as leather or a suitable fabric, and said pieces 7 preferably extend the back seam 4 to the front eyelet edges, in which case a double thickness exists at the eyelets.

Between the sides 2- and inside pieces 7 are provided a series of pockets, 8, at the portion of the device which contacts with the ankle of the wearer, these pockets being preferably parallel and extending upwardly from the bottom portion 3 to the top part of the sides. These pockets may be con.- veniently formed by stitching, as at 9, and are closed at their bottom, as at 10, and open -at their-top, as at 11. In these open-to pockets are insertibly and detachably place strips of stiffening media, 12,which prefera ly correspond to the interior area of the pock'et "and may be constructed of any suit-- ableor adapted material. The top edge of the pocketed portion of the inside pieces 7 is preferably cut away, as at 14, so that the top ends of the stiffening media 12 will conveniently rojeot (as shown in Fig. 2). to

the stiffening media.

From the to edge of each of the sides projects a flexi le iiap, 15, which is preferably integral with the piece of leather or other material constituting the outer portion of the sides. These flaps 15 are adapted to project downwardly within the top portion ofthe device and cover the open-t0 ends 11 of the pockets 8 and the to on s of the insertible and detachable stiffening media 12, and thus form a closure for the pockets, whereby the stificning media is effectively retained within thepockets durworn over the device, to prevent undue pres over the whole inner face of the sides from facilitate t e insertion and withdrawal of the oiihe device, the Slope rei-heii iOWDWdIdiY projecting closing position, sim'ounding the, leg of these above the ankle, when the device is ieste in opsreiive position, When the is removed opera; position mid opened, the fi ibis can be m ned spwerdiiy to she position diusirsted iii. 2, to enebie the ready convenient movsi o1 inser'tioii of any o. ll of the 11 bers of the sizifiem'llg Foodie. When L k iniegrsi la the oiiisideoiece #3011 the sides 2 iho reletionsls" i the outside 3 edge 1C; is do use,

For listens-e,

of Elli- S 1.4 v -i fig meoisim be removed, or oi such serips may no removed een it- IS desired to P see-dis,

use devise mi-sous any sti g or such only be eiiipioyed'in alternate pocket st each side the pro ect porsion of the ankle, affording a Wide range of variabiiity according to tile conditions oi use or the she To provide for the seeming the I" l5 their downwardiy-extesding sition, and to enable sucl seeming of Le fieps' ithout sis}. supplementary fastening means or by the some fastening means iv. 1 ooereie to secure the device it elf position, ti le front edge of the flap-is provided with on eye or perforation, l7, registering with one of the eyelets 6 at the irons edge oi the side portion 2, whereo the ieciug 5, when passed through hot the eyelets end the perforation 1'7, will serve the double ofiice of a. fastening means for the device andfor the flap. The provision of means whereby the flap is fastened by engagement with tie fastening devices for the device ivseli not only results in a simple and inexpensive construction but enables the fastening of both the device itself and the-flap by one operation.

An inside back strip, 18, is preferabiy provided to bridge the space between the rear adjoining edges of the inside pieces 7 of the side portions 2 at the back seam 4, this beck-strip 18 being formed of thin flexible fabric or materiel and being adapted 50 pro vide a smooth inner surface at iiie seem i. The strip 18 is preferably secured by stitching, when the body she device inciu'des the heel part of the bot-tom portion herein illustrated) and is constructed ii two he}? portions with the sea-111 4 extending fastening strip 18 is prefemiily extended to cover the seam i in the bottom portion, as shown iii: A tongue, 19, provided as the front of side 'oortiois so that it extends be .11 the Q or isstenin means, which i '1 one of iis side edgegso noisily-projecting"flap; it w J. a fiong'ue secured. in this s edge, in iiexiliie device 9' and. protecting ankles, to list sm'fsce at me secured 1e ,Mig c for comfort in wearing,

he 1 profiding a slit, the o a A}. edge, in ill ich slio is in exerted an extension, ll, so the oentmlporof the side edge of the tongue, which 62Lij8il$l0l1 is of us received bet-Ween the inside piece '7 end the ouiei portion of side. 2 and secured by Sfiifimllig, as at 22, producing s oooiii eoniinuous inside face at the jams-bios. of tlie side edge of tongue and iiie inside piece 7. The extension 21 being; at the central. portion of the side edge of use iongiie, ills top and bottom portions of the tongue are iei i $98, as at 23, thus enhancing the flexibiiii r of the tongue also eiisbiing the operation of the front perforated end of ihe flap" l5 and the positioiiei projeciios of. the top of the tongue beneath said. spar-stable ,fTOZli end of the pieces constituting the device are connected together in any si iisble manner, preferablyb stitching. Under some oiroumstencesof use, especially Where the device is intended to were inside s'iiigli shoe, it is=evident that the pieces 7, pocket-s 8 and flaps 15 could in oorrespondin manner he provided at the outside ins des-i;

is hick circumstances the devi e, under;

tongue could be correspondingly arranged with its extension 21 pfojecting between the main portion of the side 2e1'1d the-pleas 7 The operationend -edvenisges of myinver tion will be i eadil understood by those familiar with the at etio arts and the uses for which the device is adapted. The improved construction provides thsfmsximum of comfort, convenience endsimplicity, and

enables a Wide verisbleemployment of the 4 siikle oearingmedie, according to articular conditions and circumstances. 0; shove set forth.

Having; thus described my-inveniim, I12

elsini' said desii e to secure by enters Patent:

i'in improved snide support and'pro-nesto:- of-iiie class described, comprising a flexible body-portion iieving opeii ockets,

inedi deisohsbly s11 iDSQIILiH of the inside of the no se, a

cures both the device and the pocket-closing means in position 2. An improved ankle support and pro lLSOtOIL Of theclass described, comprising a flexible body-portion having sides for surrounding the ankle and open pockets 1n sald sides lor containing ankle-bearing media and flaps at the top edge of said sides and projecting downwardly over the open ends of said pockets, fastening means at the front of said sides, a supplementary piece extend mg over the face of the side and provided with a slit adjacent the front of the side, and a tongue havingan extension at the central portion of one of its side edges, said extension being inserted and secured between the side and the supplemei'rtary face piece and said tongue having a free portion projecting. beyond said s1deedge extension and adpre cent the front ends of the flaps.

' In testimony whereof I have si ned my name in the presence of the subscriliing wit-- nesses.

IIENR JAMES (3011MB.

\Vitnesses' KATE QALLIGAN, JOHN H. .iCLnnmGn. 

